River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-24

an adventure in it which may interest
the reading public.
Our bank was established when the
now thriving City of R-was only a
town of $500 people. In those far
back days we had nothing like the
present burglar and fire proof safes.
The bank, which was two-story build
ing with a cellar, had "a sort of box
made of iron. and this was inclOsed in
brickwo'k in the cellar and called a
vault. A lock with a key weighing
half pound was riveted to the iron
door, and when the job was finished
we all felt perfectly safe and secure.
There was a stairway from the cashier ;
room. and every night the money used
to be taken down to the vault. and
every morning brought up again. Be
for leaving the bank it was my duty
to see that the vault door was locked,
and then hid the KEY behind loose
brick in the cellar wall. The bank
cellar was used only to store the wood
required for our two stoves during the
winter, and its two windows were Sc
cured by iron shutters, which bolted in
side. As we built the bank building
other parties built store, and they
were allowed to use our wall to save
expense.
Thus from cellar bottom to roof there
was only a single wall dividing us. and
above the ground that was of brick and
a foot thick The bank had been doing
business about a year when the merchant
who occupied the store failed in business
and the building stood empty for
several weeks. At length Il was rented
again, and this time by man who gave
out that he was an agent for some
Eastern machinery manufacturers.
He ran a partition across the store
to make an office in front and he got a
desk, hung up some maps and adver-
Using cards, and announced that he
would soonb be supplied with sample ma
chinery. He did not put up any sign,
and as he did not seem interested in
cultivating the acquaintance OF the
tOwnspeople his presence was soon al
most forgotten. He seemed morose and
unsociable. People have laid the same
charge at my door. You may therefore
think it singular that James Dowd, the
newcomer, and | were soon acquainted,
and that | had decided liking for him.
Perhaps this was because he deposited
500 with us almost as soon as he reach
ed R-and promised to be a good
customer.
He seemed to like me, too, and after
three or four weeks, knowing that he
was all alone and in n strange town, l
invited him to my mothers house to
play me game of checkers. He
came, and all the family felt well
toward him at first sight. He was well
learned. gentleman in speech and de-
meanor, and / felt a friendship for him
ut once. He came again and again,
and he found Il warm welcome each
time. He also came into the bank
quite often. sometimes increasing his
balance and sometimes checking out,
and on several occasions | dropped in
TO mis- office in friendly way He
never asked question about the banks
affairs, nor did he exhibit much curios-
tv in any direction. Our acquaintance
was begun in September and lasted to
the 9th of March The 18th of March
| observed two strangers in Dowd's
office in conversation with him, but
that was a simple incident TO be for
gotten in an hour.
Just before the close of banking
hours he came in and checked out his
balance, which was about 5000, saying,
in an apologetio way, that he needed
the cash to close up a business deal. /
told him that the 18th was my sisters
birthday, and we should have few
friends drop in for the evening. l
gave him strong invitation, and he
accepted it with seeming pleasure. |
did not see him again until noon the
18th, and then he said he would come
early.
At O'Clock in the afternoon it be-
gan to snow and blow in furious man
ner. We lived long mile from the
bank, and the blizzard increased, so we
knew that none of our guests could be
expected to put in an appearance. A
note came from Dowd directly after
supper, stating that he had sore
throat and did not dare to brave the
storm, and | pulled off my boots and
sat down for an evening with a book
of history. Not a person came near
us, and it had got to be o'clock when
| was suddenly seized with desire to
rush down to the bank. 1t was as if
had been commanded to 20. and before
| realized what | was doing | had
pulled on my boots and gone for my
Overcoat
"You are not going out?" exclaimed
mother and sister in chorus.
YES. to the bank. >
..At this time of night, and in this
storm, You must be crazy.
..But | feel an impulse to go. In
deed. | can't wait another minute.
| snatched my revolver from the
hall-tree drawer and buttoned my over
coat as ran. | had a savage bulldog
about the house as burglar alarm,
and when | had run quarter Of mile
1 found him at my heels / was so ex-
cited and under such a spell that |
scarcely noticed the storm, which had
driven everybody from the streets and
closed all places of business. 1 ran on
until was within half block Of the
bank. Then | came to a dead halt and
asked myself what could be wrong that
| acted so much like an idiot. If
had come to my house with
the information that the bank building
was on fire / could not have hurried
on faster or had a stronger feeling that
nv presence was necessary. Well, here
| was in the storm-swept street, the
building looming up before me in the
darkness, and seemed to be all right, /
and what excuse could / make for my /.